Soshanguve Community
By Mpho Moloi
Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi has assured the families of the recovering patrollers from the Marry Me informal settlement in Soshanguve that the patients are receiving the care they need. Speaking at a community hall in Soshanguve on Tuesday, 25 March 2025, alongside Police Minister Senzo Mchunu and other provincial officials, Lesufi shared that four of the eight patrollers injured in a brutal attack on Saturday remain in hospital. The death toll from the incident has now risen to six, with two of the initial survivors passing away due to their injuries.
A Community in Mourning
The Marry Me informal settlement in Soshanguve, a township north of Pretoria, is reeling from a horrific attack that unfolded in the early hours of Saturday, 22 March 2025. A group of community patrollers—volunteers who took it upon themselves to keep their streets safe—were ambushed while on their routine rounds. The attackers shot, stoned, and partially burned the patrollers, leaving four dead on the scene. Eight others were rushed to hospital, but two later succumbed to their injuries, bringing the death toll to six.
The tragedy has shaken the community to its core. These patrollers weren’t trained officers or hired guards; they were ordinary residents—neighbours, fathers, and sons—who stepped up to protect their families and friends in a township where crime often runs rampant. “They were brave,” said Thandi Mokoena, a Marry Me resident whose cousin was among the injured. “They didn’t have guns, just torches and a will to keep us safe.”
Lesufi’s Hospital Visit and Update
On Tuesday, Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi visited the community hall in Soshanguve to meet with the families of the victims and survivors. Joined by Police Minister Senzo Mchunu, Deputy Minister of Police Cassel Mathale, and Provincial Police Commissioner General Tommy Mthombeni, Lesufi provided an update on the survivors’ condition. “In total, we have two other people have been discharged and we are remaining with four regarding the hospital,” he said. “We visited all of them at the hospital. Indeed, the situation was bad, but the medical team has assured us that they will attend to the situation.”
Lesufi didn’t disclose the hospital’s location, citing safety concerns. The four surviving patrollers are key witnesses in an ongoing police investigation, and a family member of one survivor confirmed that police are guarding them to ensure their protection. “The minister has expressed sincere condolences,” Lesufi added, acknowledging the pain felt by the families.
The update brought some relief to the community, but the grief remains raw. Joseph Kgomo, the uncle of Philemon Sesoko, a 34-year-old patroller who was killed, shared his family’s devastation. “His death has broken us,” Kgomo said. “He was trying to make our streets safer, and now he’s gone.”
A Rising Death Toll and a Brutal Attack
The attack on the patrollers was nothing short of savage. It began around 3:00 AM on Saturday when the group spotted five suspicious individuals on the street. A confrontation broke out, quickly escalating into a deadly assault. The attackers shot the patrollers, pelted them with rocks, and set some of their bodies alight. Police arrived at 6:00 AM to find four bodies—partially burned and riddled with gunshot wounds. Eight others were rushed to hospital, but two later died, raising the death toll to six.
The brutality of the attack has sparked outrage across Gauteng. “There’s no excuse to kill people in that brutal manner,” Lesufi said during a visit to the community on Sunday. He described the incident as “heartless,” vowing that the police would not rest until the perpetrators were caught. Police Minister Senzo Mchunu echoed this sentiment, condemning the killings and calling the patrollers “unarmed members of the community” who were committed to fighting crime.
Extortion Racket Linked to the Murders
The investigation has taken a chilling turn. On Sunday, Lesufi revealed that the murders are suspected to be linked to an extortion racket operating in the Marry Me informal settlement. Residents reportedly pay R50 a month for safety, another R50 for water, and R350 for electricity—fees collected by various groups, including some patrollers. Lesufi disclosed that a kingpin, believed to be orchestrating the scheme from behind bars, may be involved. “I have detailed information, including about people in prison who are still overseeing activities outside,” he said.
Police have identified four groups in the settlement: one collecting money for safety, another for water, a third for electricity, and a fourth opposing the payments. The patrollers, caught in the crossfire of this turf war, became targets in a fight for control. “There are various syndicates involved, but it boils down to extortion,” Lesufi explained. This revelation has raised alarm about the growing influence of extortion gangs in Gauteng’s informal settlements, where poverty and a lack of policing create fertile ground for crime.
Arrests and Police Action
There’s some progress in the case. On Tuesday, Lesufi and Mchunu confirmed the arrest of a second suspect—a Zimbabwean national—in connection with the murders. This follows the arrest of six other suspects on Monday, bringing the total to seven. Gauteng Deputy Provincial Commissioner for Crime Detection, General Mbuso Khumalo, noted that the suspected kingpin is already in jail, hinting at a sophisticated network behind the violence.
Lesufi issued a 72-hour ultimatum to police on Sunday, demanding they track down the killers by Wednesday morning, 26 March 2025. “We will not rest until those responsible are behind bars,” he vowed. Public Order Police have been deployed to maintain calm in Soshanguve, where tensions remain high. “This is a priority case, and we are leaving no stone unturned,” said SAPS spokesperson Brigadier Brenda Muridili. Witnesses are being interviewed, and authorities have urged anyone with information to come forward.
Soshanguve’s Crime Crisis
Soshanguve, home to over 400,000 people, has long grappled with crime. The township’s sprawling informal settlements, like Marry Me, are particularly vulnerable. With unemployment at 32% and poverty biting hard, crime festers, and residents often turn to community patrollers for help. “They come at the end of every month asking for donations, and we give them R50, because they are protecting us,” a resident explained. “The police are failing to do so, and crime is rampant here at night.”
The Soshanguve Police Station, understaffed and underfunded, struggles to cover the area. Lesufi acknowledged this gap, stating on Sunday, “If the police were doing their work in this community, we would not have the problem of patrollers that we have in this community.” The Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union (POPCRU) also weighed in, noting that the incident “underscores the escalating dangers faced by community policing forum members and law enforcement officers across the country.”
A History of Violence in Marry Me
This isn’t the first time Marry Me has made headlines for violence. In 2023, three people were killed in a gang clash in the settlement, highlighting its ongoing struggles. Just days before this attack, on 19 March 2025, four people died in a mass shooting in Sebokeng, another Gauteng township. Gauteng’s informal settlements—home to over 1.5 million people—are powder kegs of violence, with extortion gangs targeting businesses, schools, and even residents for protection money.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) has warned that targeting patrollers could scare others away from volunteering, leaving communities defenceless. They’ve called for stronger collaboration between SAPS and Tshwane Metro Police, pointing to issues like the illegal alcohol trade and weak policing as root causes.
Lesufi’s Broader Fight Against Crime
Lesufi has made crime a top priority for his administration. In his 2024 State of the Province Address, he announced the addition of two new helicopters and drones to establish the Gauteng Air Wing unit, a move that has helped foil cash-in-transit heists and combat illegal mining. His Crime Prevention Wardens, known as “AmaPanyaza,” have also been deployed across the province, with 6,000 wardens trained to support police in hotspots like Soshanguve.
In July 2024, Lesufi moved the Department of Community Safety to the Office of the Premier, vowing to lead the fight against crime himself. “If there is one priority for the 7th administration, it’s our relentless efforts to confront and fight crime head on,” he said. The province has installed 144 CCTV cameras in high-crime areas, with plans to add 10,000 more in the 2024-2025 financial year.
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